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Why ORIS is garbage. Never Ever Buy One.


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So I decided about a decade ago to get into the exclusive watch club. Not knowing a ton it came down to The Oris TT1 Chronograph or the Tag Aquaracer.....both utilizing the 7750....however the Aquaracer uses a Elabore grade where the Oris uses a standard. I chose the Oris because of its smaller size.....and a savings of about $200........thats where the nightmare began. After about 4 years of wear the threads between the case and crown began to strip until one day the crown would no longer seat. As you may be aware this basically renders the watch useless. The failure of the crown seating happened durring a time when I was getting ready for work. When I got to work I looked at my watch and noticed a ton of moisture inside of it and the crown out......this happened going outside on a humid day. The movement became toasted. Oris was willing to do absolutely nothing and their only North American service center Boston Watch was willing to charge me a cool $2800 to fix the watch......a mere $300 more than I paid for it. I took on the task of learning to rebuild the movement myself which after a year I have become a 7750 amateur tech and can strip and rebuild it at will. Now.....I needed a new crown....which most of you know takes about 10 mins to install......the MONOPOLY set up by Oris, Boston Watch compnay offered to take my watch and "inspect" and install a new crown for $300. I cannot get this part anywhere else. Unless you want to become handcuffed to this Monopoly at some point and their willingness to gauge you to be able to wear your watch do not buy an Oris. Spend the extra few bucks and get a real watch like a Tag.

 

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1 hour ago, bjd1020 said:

 The Oris TT1 Chronograph or the Tag Aquaracer.....both utilizing the 7750....however the Aquaracer uses a Elabore grade where the Oris uses a standard. I chose the Oris because of its smaller size.....and a savings of about $200........thats where the nightmare began. After about 4 years of wear the threads between the case and crown began to strip until one day the crown would no longer seat. As you may be aware this basically renders the watch useless.

 

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Hey bjd. Sorry to hear about this fiasco and the subsequent scam those crooks tried to pull. The 7750 is a robust and quite serviceable mechanism whether elabore or standard as you are well aware, so its a quality control problem with the Oris watch crown. Was it spring loaded? It should "pop out" when unscrewed. If the spring was weak or damaged, or the seals on the case tube are tight/dry, the crown will not pop out as quickly (or as far )which leads to cross threading when re-tightening. In any case, four years is too short a time, and that threading should NOT wear down so it was a problem with material and/or manufacturing. I'm guessing the watchcase tube threading is OK? I'll keep an eye out for a replacement crown...there's always something on the bay.

J

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Hey bjd. Sorry to hear about this fiasco and the subsequent scam those crooks tried to pull. The 7750 is a robust and quite serviceable mechanism whether elabore or standard as you are well aware, so its a quality control problem with the Oris watch crown. Was it spring loaded? It should "pop out" when unscrewed. If the spring was weak or damaged, or the seals on the case tube are tight/dry, the crown will not pop out as quickly (or as far )which leads to cross threading when re-tightening. In any case, four years is too short a time, and that threading should NOT wear down so it was a problem with material and/or manufacturing. I'm guessing the watchcase tube threading is OK? I'll keep an eye out for a replacement crown...there's always something on the bay.
J
Youre right. My beef isnt with ETA. I love the 7750. Every time I strip and rebuild one I am reminded of the ingenuity that goes into it. What torques me is that Oris utilizes the cheaper movement which only contributes to a long history of shitty customer service from them.

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Just this morning finished a Tag Heuer before heading to work. It is a chronograph with 27 jewel quartz that looked as if someone dunked it in olive oil:

441199824_DSCN59732-min.thumb.JPG.2c66b202c50fa614a43c59b2666d5d9f.JPG

I tried overhauling it, but the coils must have been shorted or something and it was erratic, so I  replaced the circuits and coils and its working fine.

DSCN5985-min.thumb.JPG.420f9924340a8fe57a2a8a2a63342359.JPG

The case, pushers and crown are good quality and I got it for very cheap. I'm not a Tag Heuer fan so this one will likely go to the auction house. Its a seven hand (rattrapante) chrono and came with the TH bracelet but I just put it on a nylon band for today. 

DSCN6046-min.thumb.JPG.0ea796adde4bcf8cb64b6f4f38c479a0.JPG20190509_115250-min.thumb.jpg.072dd9a3b8aa3fadecae98d2b2552fd7.jpg

 

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Just this morning finished a Tag Heuer before heading to work. It is a chronograph with 27 jewel quartz that looked as if someone dunked it in olive oil:
441199824_DSCN59732-min.thumb.JPG.2c66b202c50fa614a43c59b2666d5d9f.JPG
I tried overhauling it, but the coils must have been shorted or something and it was erratic, so I  replaced the circuits and coils and its working fine.
DSCN5985-min.thumb.JPG.420f9924340a8fe57a2a8a2a63342359.JPG
The case, pushers and crown are good quality and I got it for very cheap. I'm not a Tag Heuer fan so this one will likely go to the auction house. Its a seven hand (rattrapante) chrono and came with the TH bracelet but I just put it on a nylon band for today. 
DSCN6046-min.thumb.JPG.0ea796adde4bcf8cb64b6f4f38c479a0.JPG20190509_115250-min.thumb.jpg.072dd9a3b8aa3fadecae98d2b2552fd7.jpg
 
Its a beaut. Im still waiting on your changes for the case. I have the new printer set up and the cnc machine ready and zi have brass stock coming. The only thing im thinking will be a challenge is the screw back case.

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10 hours ago, bjd1020 said:

The only thing im thinking will be a challenge is the screw back case.

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We'll take the simplest route with the case back. I can always use a micro drill bit to make the screw holes.

J

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We'll take the simplest route with the case back. I can always use a micro drill bit to make the screw holes.
J
The CNC machine has the ability to run a tap cycle so yes youre tracking with me. I was thinking about a traditional screw on back but theres no way to thread something that big on the machine so a screw patern with 6 or 8 screws will be needed.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Youre right. My beef isnt with ETA. I love the 7750. Every time I strip and rebuild one I am reminded of the ingenuity that goes into it. What torques me is that Oris utilizes the cheaper movement which only contributes to a long history of shitty customer service from them.

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I love that expression “what torques me”. I’ve not heard it before but as an engineer, I like it[emoji108]


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I love that expression “what torques me”. I’ve not heard it before but as an engineer, I like it[emoji108]


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Like minds think alike. What kind of engineer are you?

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Mechanical and systems engineer. Yourself?



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Not liscensed. After school I went the PM route but all my work has been in the aviation industry.

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On 5/9/2019 at 9:16 AM, bjd1020 said:

 

So I decided about a decade ago to get into the exclusive watch club.

. Now.....I needed a new crown....

 

 

 

 

I'm a rank amateur and just started Mark's course last year, but I'm learning and studying what is out there.  I do know that repair costs increase dramatically with complications but the monopoly thing has prevented me from joining the exclusive watch club.

I gave the Hamilton Khaki Field route a brief study, but they don't even have an adjustable escapement now!

Anyway, I wanted to offer an obvious thought about the crown, tube and stem.  Cannot these be replaced?  I know the tube can be pressed out and a new one fitted.  These should be easily sourced for the 7750 movement.  Or am I making this too simplistic?

What is the real difference in levels of movements?  Finish and accuracy I know are touted, but won't they basically be the same? 

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I'm a rank amateur and just started Mark's course last year, but I'm learning and studying what is out there.  I do know that repair costs increase dramatically with complications but the monopoly thing has prevented me from joining the exclusive watch club.
I gave the Hamilton Khaki Field route a brief study, but they don't even have an adjustable escapement now!
Anyway, I wanted to offer an obvious thought about the crown, tube and stem.  Cannot these be replaced?  I know the tube can be pressed out and a new one fitted.  These should be easily sourced for the 7750 movement.  Or am I making this too simplistic?
What is the real difference in levels of movements?  Finish and accuracy I know are touted, but won't they basically be the same? 
Here is the go to for learning about the differences in the types of grades for the 7750.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ETA_SA#Valjoux_7750

Youre absolutely correct in your simplistic assessment. The stem, tube, crown can all be replaced. In fact I have learned and aquired the tooling to do such a repair. The problem is that the OEM crown cannot be sourced......at least from the OEM. Instead they want to charge me 300 plus dollars to replace the crown. Its not the tube that stripped but rather the crown. I contacted Oris and asked to purchase a crown and was firwarded to their only repair facility in NA......I was informed that they would need for me to send in my watch and if in fact it was the crown it would be approx 300 bucks. Purchasing the crown was not an option they would allow. Can you imagine if an automobile manufacturer operated in this same way??? This was after the movement got wet because of a faulty crown and they wanted to charge me in excess of 2k to have that repaired. I learned to fix the movement myself as it is not an ORIS oem component. This was how I learned that Oris uses basic movements instead of higher quality ones like TAG uses. I have seen this first hand and I wish I would have taken a picture when I had my buddies aquaracer openned. Anyway...replacing with a generic component is not what I should have to accept and being charged 300 bucks fir what should be around 60 or 70 bucks. The only reason they can charge these prices is because they are the only ones. It aint right. Go iver to watchuseek and read my post and youll see how theyre all in cahoots with each other. I have sent the watch as promised to someone who would appreciate it as I will never ever own another one of their products.

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4 hours ago, bjd1020 said:

I was informed that they would need for me to send in my watch and if in fact it was the crown it would be approx 300 bucks. Purchasing the crown was not an option they would allow. Can you imagine if an automobile manufacturer operated in this same way??

Certainly is not ORIS only that does this, have a read below. Since mechanical wristwatches moved from being a common and necessary items to luxury and fashion the Swiss and Japanese will take all the money they can,

 

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4 hours ago, nichod said:

I gave the Hamilton Khaki Field route a brief study, but they don't even have an adjustable escapement now!

What is an "adjustable escapement"? Even the cheapest mov.t can be rate regulated, while adjustment is a sort of obscure art which if you ask about,  you will be told that "starts at the mainspring". Whatever that means :biggrin:

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Certainly is not ORIS only that does this, have a read below. Since mechanical wristwatches moved from being a common and necessary items to luxury and fashion the Swiss and Japanese will take all the money they can,
 
I get it....and I honestly dont blame them. However theres much more to the story primaruly shitty customer service. The bottom line the price between a tag aquaracer and the Oris TT1 is $0. The reason why I went with the TT1 was its smaller size. With that said this saga has taught me a couple things.......Oris uses a cheaper grade movement and their quality is much less than the TAG do youre better iff with the TAG in the end. For me back then I had no concept of movements etc etc and though each watch manf made everything in house. Had I known then what I know now I wouldnt have purchased the TT1. Hopefully anybody in that same situation may stumble upon this thread and be warned as I was not.

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2 hours ago, jdm said:

What is an "adjustable escapement"? Even the cheapest mov.t can be rate regulated, while adjustment is a sort of obscure art which if you ask about,  you will be told that "starts at the mainspring". Whatever that means :biggrin:

I could have been more specific, however assumed everyone here knew the story.  Saw in a video review recently that the new models have no moving regulator.  The HS is fixed into position and requires "laser adjustment", whatever that is.  Not likely a tool I will find on ebay anytime soon!

 

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On 5/9/2019 at 10:16 AM, bjd1020 said:

however the Aquaracer uses a Elabore grade where the Oris uses a standard.

I don't think this is true. I've read somewhere that ETA only offers 7750s at Elabore or above. If you are talking about decoration, it does not indicate at all what grade your movement is, as low grade movements can be delivered fully decorated just as well as top/chronometer can be delivered with basic finish.

With regards to crown, have you considered going generic? Or maybe fitting a bigger tube and tapping new threads in the crown to fit?

43 minutes ago, nichod said:

I could have been more specific, however assumed everyone here knew the story.  Saw in a video review recently that the new models have no moving regulator.  The HS is fixed into position and requires "laser adjustment", whatever that is.  Not likely a tool I will find on ebay anytime soon!

 

The rate can be adjusted via screws on the balance. Not as trivial to regulate compared to an index but is what most would consider to be a superior setup when it comes to achieving better rate stability.

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You can tell by the shape of the balance. The better grades are shaped differently and utilize different type material for the balance and hair spring. The Aquaracer uses the higher grade movements as well as the embellishment......this coupled with the horrible customer service I received is why I stand by my statement.

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I agree with bjd, Oris has always been the champion of junk production. By the end  of their seven jewels garbage-ology era, Oris advanced to the cheapest Asian made movements they could get their hands on.  I have couple of samples to prove it, their exacutive line houses a truely junk subgarbage grade eta2836, the dial plate says Hong-Kong made on the back and swiss made on the front , quality is sub- mumbay no grade.

Hard to beleive their eta7750 is anything more than the cheapest Asian made garbage. 

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2 hours ago, bjd1020 said:



You can tell by the shape of the balance. The better grades are shaped differently and utilize different type material for the balance and hair spring. The Aquaracer uses the higher grade movements as well as the embellishment......this coupled with the horrible customer service I received is why I stand by my statement.

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The shape of the balance is pretty much the only thing a pay attention to with these movements. It's either nickel or Glucydur and I don't think I've ever seen a Tag with a Glucydur 7750.

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The shape of the balance is pretty much the only thing a pay attention to with these movements. It's either nickel or Glucydur and I don't think I've ever seen a Tag with a Glucydur 7750.
I want to say the aquaracer I inspected did.....but I cant recall...I could be wrong. Im not here to sell TAG. They are all rip offs really. The only ones that really are any different than an invicta special reserve with a 7750 are Omega Rolex and IWC. At least they make inhouse movements. Albeit retroed ETAs in some cases done by ETA. It was the **BLEEP** poor customer service followed by the orchestrated bullying that really sent me over the edge.

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3 hours ago, Nucejoe said:

the dial plate says Hong-Kong made on the back and swiss made on the front 

Swiss regulations allows their watches to claim Swiss Made (that is the legal purpose of the small writing on the face) as long a percent of value or processing is respected. 

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